Senate Approves Reduced Marijuana Penalty; House Debates Legalization

House Speaker Michael Busch says the only marijuana legislation he supports is the one to legalize medical marijuana. Download This File

Harford County Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs explains why she voted in favor of the bill to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. Download This File

The Maryland Senate has approved a bill to make possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil rather than a criminal offense.

The measure would apply to those who possess less than 10 grams of marijuana.

By a vote of 30-16, the Senate approved a bill that would reduce the offense from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil offense with a $100 fine.

In debate today, the sponsor of the bill, Baltimore County Democrat Bobby Zirkin, stressed that police could still take people into custody with small amounts of marijuana, but release the offender with a fine, after the drugs are weighed.

Under current law, possession of less than 10 grams could lead to up to 90 days in jail.

This bill now goes to the House of Delegates, where a committee is holding a hearing today to legalize limited amounts of marijuana for adults 21 and older.

The House Judiciary Committee has been discussing the bill today.

The bill would remove all penalties for private possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and cultivation of up to three plants.

The measure also would direct the Maryland comptroller to license marijuana retail stores, wholesale facilities and testing facilities.

The bill was introduced by Baltimore City Democratic Delegate Curt Anderson.

He told WBAL News today that it is not likely the bill will be approved by both the House and Senate in the remaining three weeks of the legislative session.

He does say he wants the hearing on the bill to start a conversation about legalizing marijuana.

Anderson says that he is hoping that Congress takes up the issue of legalizing marijuana on the federal level, based on the discussion of the issue in Maryland and other states.

House Speaker Michael Busch told reporters that he believes neither the Anderson or the Zirkin bill has a chance of passing in the Hosue of Delegates.

Busch says that he opposes both bills, noting that marijuana is still considered a controlled dangerous substance, under federal law.